Grahame Begg due change of fortune as Magic Time claims Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield
Grahame Begg can put a forgettable spring behind him after winning the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes with classy mare Magic Time.
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A change of luck was overdue for Grahame Begg this spring and Magic Time made certain of it with a most stylish win in the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.
Begg missed Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup starts with stars Nonconformist and Lunar Flare ruled out on the eve of the spring majors and on Saturday copped “another splinter in the a---” when filly Miraval Rose was denied a Group 3 by the barest margin.
All was forgotten about 300m from home in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes as Magic Time charged to victory under Michael Dee.
“It’s been challenging to say the least,” Begg said after his 16th Group 1 success.
“This is great.”
IT'S MAGIC TIME IN THE SIR RUPERT CLARKE STAKES! 🪄
— 7HorseRacing 🎠(@7horseracing) November 18, 2023
SHE GETS THE WELL-DESERVED GROUP 1 WIN.@Grahame_Beggpic.twitter.com/CiLG8UKaCj
Despite it being hard to make ground on Saturday, Begg and Dee stuck to their guns with Magic Time allowed settle just worse than midfield after jumping from barrier 13.
“I was (concerned) but I said to Michael before the race don’t change anything just because the track is racing that way on-speed,” Begg said.
“Be positive out of the gates, but get cover, don’t work up the hill and give her the opportunity to round her race off and she certainly did that.”
Magic Time was third widest around the bend but let down smartly to tackle runner-up I Am Me inside the last 100m.
Sydney raider Strait Acer got out late to grab third after being held up behind and between horses.
Magic Time was never threatened in the handicap with 53kg on her back.
“I thought it was a great race for her. 1400m, good speed on, the right recipe for her and she’s got the job done,” Begg said.
Dee sealed a Caulfield treble with the Group 1 after wins on Let’srollthedice and Hypothetical early on the card.
The 12-time Group 1 winner was thrilled to get the result for Begg.
“I’m sure Grahame mentioned it’s been a bit of an unlucky spring for him, so to get a Group 1 and to top it off, it’s amazing,” Dee said.
“Grahame has given me a lot of support for a long time now.”
Dee heaped praise on Magic Time.
“She’s usually a mare that naturally puts herself on speed and I always knew there was going to be a massive amount of speed in this,” Dee said.
“We didn’t get any favours, she’s done it tough, punched the breeze and got pushed wider on the corner … to her credit that was a super effort.”
Begg brought up his 100th stakes win when Rose Quartz took out the final race.
Blake Shinn, the rider of I Am Me, endorsed the mare’s Group 1 potential, while Mark Zahra hoped to get more room on Strait Acer.
“Did a good job to run third,” Zahra said.
“Obviously the way the track is playing, rode accordingly and a big horse, I would have liked a bit of room sooner but still he ran well under the circumstances.”
Harry runs show as Stackhouse nabs double
Jockey Daniel Stackhouse sealed a Caulfield double with Run Harry Run victorious in the Group 3 Blue Sapphire Stakes (1400m).
Run Harry Run enjoyed a dream run behind the leader and runner-up Brave Mead got the better of him over the concluding stages.
Favourite Arkansaw Kid, ridden by Damien Oliver, got going late to run third on a tough afternoon to make ground from back in the field.
Stackhouse, who won second on the card on So Risque, enjoyed the ride on Run Harry Run.
“Scripted pretty well for us. We wanted to be positive from that inside barrier,” Stackhouse said.
“We got a lovely run in transit. My bloke is so green and raw still but the more you ask the more he keeps improving.
“I felt like I was going to get there but he just took a while.”
Run Harry Run causes an upset in the Blue Sapphire! 💎
— 7HorseRacing 🎠(@7horseracing) November 18, 2023
That's an early double for Daniel Stackhouse at Caulfield. ✌ï¸@BallymoreStabls@DanielStack33pic.twitter.com/RSzJDGSiAM
Michael Moroney-trained Run Harry Run could possibly return to Caulfield in a fortnight for the Sandown Guineas.
Moroney said Run Harry Run, a three-year-old Written Tycoon gelding out of Maybe Markle, was a natural “from day dot”.
“Great name. One of the owners said to me before that if he gets to Royal Ascot, what are they going to say then?” Moroney said.
“We saw this race a while ago and thought that he was up to it. It has worked out perfectly.
“We thought at his first start it was a bit short for him. He was pretty unlucky.
“He probably should have been unbeaten now.
“He’s a really nice horse. He’s got a great brain. Just like the filly, really natural from day dot.”
Originally published as Grahame Begg due change of fortune as Magic Time claims Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield
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